諺語 · a single proverb
癡人說夢
Simplified: 痴人说梦
What does 癡人說夢 (chī rén shuō mèng) mean?
癡人說夢 (chī rén shuō mèng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "a fool describing a dream." In use it means: Nonsense spoken with confidence. The speaker believes it. The audience should not. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Monkey.
Literally: "a fool describing a dream."
The reading
The fool does not know the dream was a dream. He reports it as fact, with details and dates and names, and is confused when no one can find the place he visited. The danger is not the fool. It is the listener who takes the report seriously because the fool sounds so sure.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Buddhist text; common in Song dynasty vernacular
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Monkey, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 癡人說夢 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 癡人說夢 (chī rén shuō mèng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Buddhist text; common in Song dynasty vernacular. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 癡人說夢?
In Mandarin it is chī rén shuō mèng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 癡人說夢 aloud in Mandarin.